Heat dissipation device with interlocking fin plates

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipation device ( 20 ) includes a plurality of individual fin plates ( 40 ) arranged side by side. Each fin plate includes a main body ( 42 ). First and second flanges ( 44, 46 ) extend perpendicularly from opposite edges of the main body of each fin plate. A pair of tongues ( 48 ) is stamped perpendicularly from the main body and is opposite to the first flange. A pair of projections ( 49 ) is stamped from the main body adjacent and opposite to the second flange. Protrusions ( 442 ) are formed at the first flange and holes ( 482 ) are defined in the tongues respectively. The tabs of a first fin plate are interlocked with the projections of an adjacent second fin plate. The protrusions of the first fin plate are received in the holes of the second fin plate. In similar fashion, all the fin plates are assembled together. The heat dissipation device is thus formed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to heat dissipation devices forremoving heat from electronic devices, and more particularly to a heatdissipation device including a plurality of individual fin plates thatare interlocked together.

[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0004] Conventional heat dissipation devices used for removing heat fromelectronic devices are mostly formed by extrusion of metallic material.FIG. 6 shows an example of this kind of heat dissipation device. Theheat dissipation device 10 comprises abase, and a plurality of pinsintegrally extending from the base. The pins are relatively thick incomparison with distances defined between each two adjacent pins, due toinherent limitations in extrusion technology. This restricts the numberof the pins that can be formed, and a total heat dissipation area thatcan be provided by the pins. Furthermore, a height “h” of the pins islimited to about 13 times a distance “d” between each two adjacent pins,also due to inherent limitations in extrusion technology.

[0005] With the continuing boom in electronics technology, numerousmodern electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) ofcomputers can operate at very high speeds and thus generate largeamounts of heat. The heat must be efficiently removed from the CPU;otherwise, abnormal operation or damage may result. Conventionalextruded heat dissipation devices are increasingly no longer able toadequately remove heat from these contemporary electronic devices.

[0006] In order to keep pace with these developments in electronicstechnology, assembled heat dissipation devices have been gaining inpopularity. FIG. 7 shows an assembled heat dissipation device 30 havinga plurality of uniformly dimensioned individual plate fins 32 evenlystacked together. Each fin 32 forms top and bottom flanges 34. Eachflange 34 defines a pair of slots 36 at a junction with a main body ofthe fin 32. Each flange 34 forms a pair of tabs 38 extending from anouter edge thereof at the slots 36 respectively. The tabs 38 of each fin32 engage in the slots 36 of an adjacent fin 32. Protrusions 39 formedon the tabs 38 of each fin 32 are blocked by the main body of theadjacent fin 32 such that said tabs 38 are retained in the slots 36 ofthe adjacent fin 32. Thus, all the fins 32 are connected together toform the heat dissipation device 30. However, the fins 32 are heldtogether only by reason of the blocking of the protrusions 39 by themain bodies of the fins 32. The protrusions 39 are prone to bedisengaged from the corresponding adjacent fins 32 when the heatdissipation device 30 is subjected to shock or vibration duringtransportation or in operation. Part of or even the entire stack of fins32 may collapse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide aheat dissipation device including a plurality of individual fin platesthat yield a relatively large total heat dissipation area.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a heatdissipation device including a plurality of individual fin platesattached together so that the heat dissipation device is stable andsturdy.

[0009] In order to achieve the objects set out above, a heat dissipationdevice in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a plurality of individual fin plates arranged sideby side. Each fin plate includes a main body. First and second flangesextend perpendicularly from opposite edges of the main body of each finplate. A pair of tongues is stamped perpendicularly from the main bodyand is opposite to the first flange. A pair of projections is stampedfrom the main body adjacent and opposite to the second flange.Protrusions are formed at the first flange and holes are defined in thetongues respectively. The tabs of a first fin plate are interlocked withthe projections of an adjacent second fin plate. The protrusions of thefirst fin plate are engagingly received in the holes the tongues of thesecond fin plate. In similar fashion, all the fin plates are assembledtogether. The heat dissipation device is thus formed. In an alternativeembodiment, the protrusions are formed on the tongues and the holes aredefined in the first flange of each fin plate.

[0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a heat dissipation device inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, theheat dissipation device comprising a plurality of fin plates;

[0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the heat dissipation device of FIG.1;

[0013]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a fin plate of the heat dissipationdevice of FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect;

[0014]FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a fin plate of a heat dissipationdevice in accordance with the alternative embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0015]FIG. 5 is an exploded, isometric view of the heat dissipationdevice in accordance with the alternative embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0016]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a conventional heat dissipationdevice; and

[0017]FIG. 7 is an isometric view of another conventional heatdissipation device formed from a plurality of individual fins.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a heat dissipation device 20 inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a plurality of individual fin plates 40 arranged side by side.

[0019] Each fin plate 40 is metallic, and has a main body 42. First andsecond flanges 44, 46 extend perpendicularly in a first direction fromopposite bottom and top edges of the main body 42 respectively A pair ofspaced tongues 48 is stamped perpendicularly from the main body 42 atthe first flange 44, in a second direction that is opposite to the firstdirection. That is, the tongues 48 and the first flange 64 are locatedadjacent opposite main faces of the main body 42, with the tongues 48being slightly above the first flange 64. Each tongue 48 defines athrough hole 482 therein. A pair of spaced protrusions 442 is stampedupwardly from the first flange 44 of each fin plate 40, corresponding tothe holes 482 of an adjacent fin plate 40. A pair of spacedbridge-shaped projections 49 is stamped from the main body 42 adjacentthe second flange 46 in the second direction. The projections 49 thusdefine a pair of splits 492 therein. The splits 492 are slightly belowthe second flange 46. A pair of spaced tabs 462 extends perpendicularlyfrom a distal edge of the second flange 46 toward the first flange 44,the tabs 462 being parallel to the main body 42.

[0020] In assembly of the fin plates 40 to form the heat dissipationdevice 20, the tabs 462 of a first fin plate 40 are engagingly receivedin the splits 492 of an adjacent second fin plate 40. The main body 42of the first fin plate 40 is pressed toward the second fin plate 40, sothat the protrusions 442 of the first flange 44 of the first fin plate40 are engagingly received in the holes 482 of the tongues 48 of thesecond fin plate 40. Thus, the first fin plate 40 is attached to thesecond fin plate 40. In similar fashion, all the fin plates 40 areassembled together, and the heat dissipation device 20 is thus formed.The first flanges 44 are coplanar with each other, and the secondflanges 46 are coplanar with each other. The heat dissipation device 20can be mounted on a surface of a heat-generating device (not shown),with either the first flanges 44 or the second flanges 46 contactingsaid surface.

[0021]FIG. 4 shows a fin plate 60 in accordance with the alternativeembodiment of the present invention. The fin plate 60 is metallic, andcomprises a main body 62. A first flange 64 and a second flange 66extend perpendicularly in opposite first and second directions fromopposite bottom and top edges of the main body 62 respectively. A pairof spaced tongues 68 is stamped perpendicularly from the main body 62 atthe first flange 64 in the second direction. That is, the tongues 68 andthe first flange 64 are located adjacent opposite main faces of the mainbody 62. Each tongue 68 defines a through hole 682 therein. A pair ofspaced protrusions 642 is stamped upwardly from the first flange 44 ofeach fin plate 60, corresponding to the holes 682 of an adjacent finplate 60. A pair of spaced bridge-shaped projections 69 is stamped fromthe main body 62 adjacent the second flange 66 in the first direction(see FIG. 5). The projections 69 thus define a pair of splits 692therein. A pair of spaced tabs 662 extends perpendicularly from a distaledge of the second flange 66 toward the tongues 68, the tabs 662 beingparallel to the main body 62. In assembly of a plurality of the finplates 60, the tabs 662 of a first fin plate 60 are engagingly receivedin the splits 692 of an adjacent second fin plate 60. The protrusions642 of the second fin plate 60 are engagingly received in the holes 682of the tongues 68 of the first fin plate 60. In similar fashion, all thefin plates 60 are assembled together.

[0022] In a further alternative embodiment of the present invention, thelocations of the protrusions 442 and the holes 482 of each fin plate 40are interchanged. In a still further alternative embodiment of thepresent invention, the locations of the protrusions 642 and the holes682 of each fin plate 60 are interchanged.

[0023] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention tothe full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms inwhich the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat dissipation device comprising: a pluralityof individual fin plates arranged side by side, each of the fin platescomprising: a main body; a first flange extending perpendicularly fromthe main body; a second flange extending perpendicularly from the mainbody, the second flange being parallel to and spaced from the firstflange, a tab extending perpendicularly from the second flange; a tongueextending perpendicularly from the main body generally opposite to thefirst flange; and a projection extending from the main body, theprojection being generally opposite to the second flange; wherein thetab of each fin plate is interlocked with the projection of an adjacentfin plate, and the tongue of each fin plate is interlocked with thefirst flange of an adjacent fin plate.
 2. The heat dissipation device ofclaim 1, wherein the first flange extends from an edge of the main body,and the second flange extends from an opposite edge of the main body. 3.The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein a protrusion is formedon the first flange, and the tongue defines a hole, the protrusion ofeach fin plate being received in the hole of an adjacent fin plate. 4.The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein a protrusion is formedon the tongue, and the first flange defines a hole, the protrusion ofeach fin plate being received in the hole of an adjacent fin plate. 5.The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the tab is parallel tothe main body.
 6. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein theprojection defines a split.
 7. The heat dissipation device of claim 6,wherein the split and the tongue are between the first and secondflanges.
 8. The heat dissipation device of claim 6, wherein the tab ofeach fin plate is engagingly received in the split of an adjacent finplate.
 9. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the firstflanges of the fin plates are coplanar.
 10. The heat dissipation deviceof claim 1, wherein the second flanges of the fin plates are coplanar.11. The heat dissipation device of claim 1, wherein the projection isgenerally bridge-shaped.
 12. A heat dissipation device comprising: aplurality of individual fins side by side arranged with one another,each of said fins comprising: a vertical planar main body extending in alongitudinal direction; an upper flange extending horizontally on anupper edge of the main body away from said main body in a first lateraldirection perpendicular to said longitudinal direction; a lower flangeextending horizontally on a lower edge of the main body away from saidmain body in said first lateral direction and aligned with the upperflange in a vertical direction perpendicular to both said longitudinaldirection and said first lateral direction; at least one upperprojection extending around the upper edge in a second lateral directionopposite to said first lateral direction; at least one lower projectionextending around the lower edge in said second lateral direction; uppermeans formed on the upper flange of one fin locked to the upperprojection of a neighboring fin located in said first lateral direction;and lower means formed on the lower flange of said fin locked to thelower projection of said neighboring fin located in said first lateraldirection; wherein said fin and said neighboring fin are spaced fromeach other in said first lateral direction via the upper flange and thelower flange, and said upper means is essentially downwardly assembledto the corresponding upper projection in the vertical direction.
 13. Theheat dissipation device of claim 12, by said upper means and said lowermeans, said fin and said neighboring fin can not disengaged from eachother in said first lateral direction.
 14. The heat dissipation deviceof claim 12, wherein the upper flange and the lower flange of said fincommonly sandwich the upper projection and the lower projection of theneighboring fin so as prevent a relative movement between the fin andthe neighboring fin in said vertical direction.
 15. The heat dissipationdevice of claim 12, wherein said upper projection is of a bridge-shapedconfiguration and cooperates with the corresponding main body to definetherebetween a slit so as to receive the upper means of the neighboringfin located in the second lateral direction.
 16. The heat dissipationdevice of claim 12, wherein said lower projection is a horizontal tababutting against the lower flange of the neighboring fin located in thesecond lateral direction.
 17. A heat dissipation device comprising: aplurality of individual fins side by side arranged with one another,each of said fins comprising: a vertical planar main body extending in alongitudinal direction; an upper flange extending horizontally on anupper edge of the main body away from said main body in a first lateraldirection perpendicular to said longitudinal direction; a lower flangeextending horizontally on a lower edge of the main body away from saidmain body in a second lateral direction opposite to said first lateraldirection; at least one upper projection extending around the upper edgein said second lateral direction opposite to said first direction, theupper projection being lower than the upper flange in the verticaldirection; and at least one lower projection extending around the loweredge in said first lateral direction, the lower projection being higherthan the lower flange; wherein the upper projection of one fin confrontsthe corresponding upper flange of one neighboring fin located in thesecond lateral direction, and the lower projection of said fin confrontsthe corresponding lower flange of said neighboring fin located in saidfirst lateral direction.